Editing Shabo language (section)

==Phonology==

The consonants are:

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! 
! [[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! [[Plosive consonant|Plosive]]s
| ({{IPAlink|p}}) {{IPAlink|b}}
| {{IPAlink|t}} {{IPAlink|d}}
| ({{IPAlink|tʃ}}) ({{IPAlink|dʒ}}) 
| {{IPAlink|k}} {{IPAlink|ɡ}}
| {{IPAlink|ʔ}}
|-
! [[Implosive]]s
| {{IPAlink|ɓ}}
| {{IPAlink|ɗ}}
| 
| 
| 
|-
! [[Ejective]]s
| {{IPAlink|pʼ}}
| {{IPAlink|tʼ}}
| {{IPAlink|tʃʼ}}
| {{IPAlink|kʼ}}
| 
|-
! [[Fricative]]s
| {{IPAlink|f}}
| ({{IPAlink|s}}) {{IPAlink|sʼ}}
| ({{IPAlink|ʃ}})
| 
| 
|-
! [[Approximant]]s
| {{IPAlink|w}}
| {{IPAlink|l}}
| {{IPAlink|j}}
| 
|
|-
! [[Nasal stop|Nasals]]
| {{IPAlink|m}}
| {{IPAlink|n}}
| 
| {{IPAlink|ŋ}}
|
|-
! [[Trill consonant|Trill]]s
|
| {{IPAlink|r}}
|
|
|
|}

Consonants in parentheses are not entirely phonemic according to Teferra (1995):
* {{IPA|[p]}} and {{IPA|[f]}} are in [[free variation]]
* {{IPA|[s]}} and {{IPA|[ʃ]}}, and sometimes also {{IPA|[c], [ɟ],}} and {{IPA|[ʒ]}}, are in free variation, as in Majang; Teferra speculatively links this to the traditional practice of removing the lower [[incisor]]s of men.
* {{IPA|[h]}} and {{IPA|[k]}} occasionally alternate.

[[Implosive]] consonants are common in languages of the area, but [[ejective]] consonants are not found in Majang.

Consonant length is found in several words, such as ''walla'' "goat", ''kutti'' "knee"; however, it is often unstable.

Teferra tentatively postulates 9 vowels: {{IPA|/i/ /ɨ/ /u/ /e/ /ə/ /o/ /ɛ/ /a/ /ɔ/}}, possibly with further distinctions based on [[advanced tongue root]].  Five of these, {{IPA|/a/ /e/ /i/ /o/ /u/}}, have long counterparts.  Occasionally final vowels are deleted, shortening medial vowels: e.g. ''deego'' or ''deg'' "crocodile".

The syllable structure is (C)V(C); all consonants except {{IPA|/pʼ/}} and {{IPA|/tʼ/}} can occur syllable-finally.

The language is tonal, but its tonology is unclear.  Two [[minimal pair]]s are cited by Teferra 1995, including ''há'' "kill" versus ''hà'' "meat".